An Empty Cage
by alaskanbirdfriend
Summary: When Death opened the cage to release Sam, that's not all he brought out. When Castiel kills Raphael, it turns out he hasn't been Castiel for quite a while.
1. Chapter 1

"You can't imagine what it's like. They are all inside me. Millions, upon millions of souls."

"Sounds sexy. Exit stage Crowley." He vanished silently, leaving Raphael behind. Castiel turned to the Archangel.

"Now what's the matter, Raphael? Somebody clip your wings?"

Raphael looked at him with shock. "Castiel, please! You let the demon go, but not your own brother?"

He smirked. "You see, that's where you're wrong, Raphael! Poor little Castiel hasn't been here for a while."

Raphael's eyes widened as he stepped forward, his angel blade in hand. "You! How-"

Suddenly, his voice was cut off. Raphael's body had been ripped apart from the inside out.

Sam and Dean were now staring at him, backing away inch by inch.

"Cas?" Dean was glancing back and forth between the place where Raphael had been standing and where Castiel was now.

He wore a smile on his face. "I'm not Cas. You know, I would assume you could figure who I was by now. What about you, Sammy?"

Sam's face drained of color, his mind quickly figuring out who was behind the mask. "Lucifer," He whispered.

Lucifer smiled. "What's wrong, Sammy? Scared?"

Both Sam and Dean were standing there in shock.

"How did you trick Cas into saying yes?"

"Well, I didn't really trick him..." Lucifer held up a finger, walking slowly towards them. "You see, it was actually very simple. I just had to show Castiel..."

His face was plastered with a sympathetic grin, and his arms spread out in triumph.

"...that he didn't matter at all to you. The two amazing Winchesters! Oh, and, you know. Castiel. That runaway angel. The one that fell. Cast from Heaven."

Sam and Dean both had a look of horror on their faces.

Lucifer raised his eyebrows, now leaning on a table nearby.

"Needless to say, it worked. Of course, I didn't really open Purgatory. How stupid that would've been, releasing the Leviathans!"

Even in the midst of all the fear, Sam still asked, "Leviathans?"

Lucifer waved his hand at him in dismissal. "Oh, you wouldn't have heard of them. One of the first monsters, you might say."

Sam swallowed, glancing back at Dean for a moment. His eyebrows knit together, saying a silent apology to his older brother. He looked at Sam in confusion and turned towards Lucifer.

"What, you're just going to start the apocalypse all over again?"

Lucifer held up his hands in a 'What else?' gesture.

"Well, you know me. When in doubt, go with the classics." Lucifer sighed. "I don't really need you anymore, really. I've already got a vessel."

Sam bit his lip, thinking. Then he made his choice.

"Well, that's a good thing. Because I'm already taken."

Lucifer's eyes narrowed in confusion. "What-"

Sam looked up at the ceiling, nails biting into his palm. This was a choice he never thought he would make. But here he was. He clenched his jaw in resolving of his decision. "Yes."

The room started to quake, things falling off tables and crashing to the ground. A bright glow in the center of the room grew until they were all blinded.

Everyone but Sam turned away from the brightness, a silvery flood of light streaming into his body.

They turned back when the glare suddenly just blinked out like someone had just shut it off.

The tables were back in the same place as before, and the instruments were all fixed. Not a single one was broken. It was like nothing had happened.

But now, Sam's eyes were glowing bright blue with grace.


	2. Chapter 2

The blue in Sam's eyes faded, leaving only Lucifer to see it, as Dean was standing on the side.

"Sam? Are you okay?" Dean asked.

Sam's posture was stiff and tall while looking at Lucifer with a cold and quiet hatred.

Lucifer was no longer leaning against the edge of the table. Now, he was standing fully upright with his angel blade in hand.

"I'm assuming you found your chance to escape when I did, dear brother. I see you stole my vessel."

Sam's jaw clenched, summoning his angel blade.

"Castiel should never have listened to you, Lucifer. He was manipulated."

Lucifer raised his eyebrows. "Oh, Michael! Don't you know that's what I do?"

Dean was watching this exchange, but now he turned to Michael with horror. "You possessed Sam!?"

He bit his lip. "I assure you, he was never my intention."

Lucifer eyes narrowed. "Oh, you've changed. What was it? Torturing little Sammy? Ripping the flesh right off his bones? I wonder."

Michael glared at Lucifer, stepping towards him with his blade ready. "Do not presume what I think or know, brother. Leave us be."

Lucifer would have fought, right there and then, but he had plans. Big, big, plans. And he didn't need the Winchesters one bit.

"Is that so?" He sneered. "Have your wish, then." He vanished, leaving a furious Michael behind.

Dean turned to him, fury evident in his expression. "Now let my brother go."

Michael winced. "I am afraid I cannot do that, Dean."

"Why the hell not?! Just stop possessing him!"

He shook his head. "It is not that simple. While I am possessing him, he is healing."

"Healing?! What the hell do you mean, healing?! It's simple!"

"Not his body, Dean. This time, it's his soul."


	3. Chapter 3

Dean leaned forward against one of the metal tables. "How can you heal his soul? Isn't that like, impossible?"

Michael winced. Coming to this topic was unavoidable. "I...can still try my best. I want to repair my past mistakes."

Dean raised his eyebrows, now turning to look at him. "Right. Because when Sammy was down in Hell, you and Lucifer were torturing him. The reason he's like that now is your fault." He leaned over, putting his head in his hands. "Man, what's going to happen now?"

Michael looked away, pain showing on Sam's face. "I cannot deny my actions while I was in the cage. But I can try and fix the problems I have already made." Now he turned to Dean. "If I hadn't come, either Lucifer would have broken down the wall the Death created, or it would be worn away by time."

Dean stood up, horror evident on his features. "His memories from Hell would have come back?! But Death said if Sam-"

Michael now looked at Dean, his eyebrows knitted in confusion. "Sam already was taking down the wall by himself. Do you not recall the hunts you went on? He was already remembering things he had done without his soul. It would not have been long before he remembered Hell."

Dean bit his lip. The wall was the only thing keeping the Hell memories at bay. If Sam had taken it down by himself, then at the very least he would have gone insane.

"I know it may not seem like it, even after all I have done, but I swear to you that all I want to do is help you."

Before the cage, Michael had come to view humans as poorly as Lucifer. A failed leftover experiment of their Father's creation, they served a single purpose—to birth the brothers meant to house the oldest two archangels.

Dean raised his eyebrows and looked at him, suspicious. He had good reason to be. "What happened to the 'fighting your brother and destroying half the Earth' plan?"

He closed his eyes. "Lucifer was right. I have changed. But I believe, in your opinion," He opened his eyes and looked at Dean closely. "It is for the better."

Dean looked at him. "The whole point in stopping you from fighting last time was to keep you from killing thousands of people. So, yeah, I think your new opinion is much better."

Michael could still tell that Dean was still wary, still untrusting. He frowned in confusion and concern. "Are you wondering why Sam was okay with saying yes?"

"Well, yes, obviously! I mean, last time, we were both against possession, and now? Now I have no idea if he's trying to kick you out of the driver's seat or not! He just looked up at the ceiling, said 'yes', and you jumped his bones! For all I know, you just tricked him, and he has no idea-"

"Dean. I did not trick him in any way."

"Right."

Michael pursed his lips. "I did not. I visited him in his dreams." He held his hand up to stop the outburst coming from Dean. "No, not to get him to say yes." His face hardened. "I am not Lucifer. It was merely for an exchange of information."

He looked at Dean, waiting to see if another denial was going to come. There was none, but he clearly wanted to know why Sam was okay with saying yes to _Michael_ of all people. (Or angel.)

"I told him I had escaped the cage. As I believed, he panicked. That...was not one of my best moments. He thought I had come to torture him."

Dean's eyes flashed with rage and pain, but he allowed him to continue. Michael was now pacing back and forth, his footsteps echoing around the room. His chin rested in his hand.

"I left, feeling guilty about what I had done. But I had to tell him that I was not the only one out. I came back the next night."

This time, Dean couldn't stop himself from speaking up. "How come Sam never told me about these dreams? He would have said something."

Michael shook his head, still pacing. It seemed to distract him from guilt. "He told me on the second night that he would prefer if he didn't remember the exchanges when he woke up. He didn't want to remember...not until he made a...decision."

Dean clenched his teeth together. _Come on, Sammy! Why'd you have to keep this from me?!_

Michael didn't seem to notice Dean's anxiety. He just kept going.

"On the second night, I came back. This time, he seemed nervous, but he asked me how I was out. I told him of Death, that when he came to rescue Sam, he noticed me. I told him that...that I had changed. That I was regretful for my actions. Death was guarding Sam's soul. I could tell how broken it was. I saw what I had done, and I was ashamed."

Michael had stopped pacing. He was facing away from Dean, with his hand covering his mouth. An expression of guilt.

"I begged Death. He found a way. I do not know where he got the information, nor how it was powerful enough to let me out. But then I was free. Out of Hell, at last!"

He had a bitter smile on his face and was shaking his head.

"Little did I know, my brother was listening in. And he too was brought out of the cage. But when I found out, it was too late."

Michael turned around to face Dean, but he still wasn't looking at him.

"I had to find a vessel, as did Lucifer. Lucifer could have gone to Sam, but I think even he knew it would be fruitless. He manipulated Castiel. And you know the rest. As for me, I had to get one before the Host discovered me."

"Why? Aren't you, like, the leader of it?"

Michael nodded. "Yes, but seeing me, knowing I was out, they would want the apocalypse all over again. Both of you had stopped it, and if it was father's plan, then maybe he should have intervened. I figured out that was not the way. As for a vessel, I only knew of two who could contain my power almost perfectly."

Dean raised his eyebrows. "Two?"

"Yes, two. While Adam worked for the time being, after a while, he would have...burnt out. You and Sam? You have the capability to hold Lucifer, while Sam has the capability to hold me. We could have easily fought like that. Sam is just Lucifer's true vessel. And you are just my true vessel. Even so, it took me a while to find you."

"So when you found us, you asked Sam to be your vessel."

Michael shook his head. "Surprisingly, that was not the case. I went to Sam to...ask what you would think of being my vessel. I assumed you would not take well to seeing me. Sam did too, although I am sure you would have been more...destructive. I went to ask his opinion."

"That didn't seem like the agenda last time."

"True," He agreed. "But I have changed since last time. I have seen...the error of my ways."

"So you were originally going to go to me."

"Yes. But Sam assumed you would automatically say no."

"He's right about that."

Michael shrugged. "I told him about Lucifer and what he would do if we didn't stop him. I told him about his damaged soul and his memories. Even if he didn't remember, I did. To see those memories come back to him...would not be advisable. He told me he would think. He said, 'Give me some space. I'll think of something.' I was unsure, but I told him I would come back in a couple nights."

"Then what?"

"I came back. He said he could be my vessel. I was surprised, and I thought it over. It could work. We agreed. I would not come to his dreams again. That time he remembered everything when he woke up."

Dean thought about what Michael just said. Sam had seemed on edge for the past week, always looking worried. It made sense. Lucifer was probably in his worst nightmares.

"So afterward?" He asked.

Michael finally looked at him. He was wearing a determined expression. "Whenever he said 'yes', I would come."


	4. Chapter 4

This was a lot to take in for Dean. Sam obviously trusted Michael enough to let himself get possessed. Michael sounded sincere. There was one way to make sure.

Dean looked up at Michael. He was standing still, waiting for a reaction. His eyes were filled with regret and pain.

"Let me speak with Sam. I want to make sure he's alright."

Michael nodded slowly. "Of course. No doubt that is your top priority."

Sam's eyes glowed, and the stiff posture of Michael was replaced by Sam's slouch. Dean took a wary step forward.

"Sam? You okay?"

Sam squinted, then gasped. "Dean? Dean, I'm so sorry, I just-" He rambled on. "Lucifer, the cage, the apocalypse, everything-"

Dean put his hands on Sam's shoulders in an effort to stop him. "Sam. It's okay. Michael told me. What do you remember from what he last told you?"

Sam placed a hand on his forehead and looked down, thinking. "Um, I remember Lucifer, Michael, he told me how both of them escaped the cage. Lucifer, he had plans, big, big, plans."

Sam looked up worriedly. "Another apocalypse. Again, Dean."

Dean swallowed. "Well, let's take care of one problem at a time. First of all, your soul. Why didn't you want to remember?"

"I didn't want you to worry. We had enough problems to deal with. Cas-" He frowned. "Or Lucifer."

"Sam, the wall would have come down! Then what would have we done? Sit around, smiling like clowns, while you're slowly going insane? No!"

"Dean, Michael-" He pursed his lips. "Michael said he would help."

"I know, but how do you know we can trust him? He tortured you in the cage, he wanted to possess me-"

"Dean, I trust him with my life, literally."

He sighed. Sam wasn't dead. Yet. And he was in control. There were more pros than cons.

"Michael. You swear to keep Sam in control? You'll focus on his well-being, or whatever? Not go on a killing spree?"

Sam's eyes glowed and he stood straight up again, looking down at Dean. "I swear."

Dean's jaw clenched, but he was mostly sure that Michael would hold up to his bargain. Michael was still staring down at Dean, waiting for a response.

"Good. We'll find out what Lucifer's up to." Dean sighed. "But for now, I want pie."


End file.
